The Longest Serving Lesbian Promoters In London

Scene legends Sue Wade and Sue G to star in new BBC documentary.

By DIVA staff

Published: 2017.03.07 08:20 AM

Legendary LGBT club promoters Sue G and partner Sue Wade have over thirty years’ experience of hosting unforgettable girl parties and queer nights out. As it’s LGBT History Month, we thought it was the perfect time to pay tribute to their amazing contribution to our community.

Their extensive work includes running bars, clubs and events including Heds, Clubworld, Wowbar and 100% Babe. They’ve featured in the mainstream media in publications including Tatler, Cosmopolitan and the Sunday Express (and DIVA, of course) and on TV’s Sky News.

In their three decades at the heart of the UK’s LGBT scene, it’s 1995 Pride season that sticks out in Sue G’s mind the most. The Pride committee had declared it the year of “Lesbian Visibility”, but when Sue G asked them to explain what exactly they were doing for lesbian visibility, they were stumped and asked for her input. She suggested a women’s stage, they agreed and the Sues were given the bandstand in Victoria Park to play with.

“Later we were summoned to the Pride committee like 'knights of the round table' and a disgruntled man who was running the women's cabaret tent demanded a list of my performers. Obviously he was rattled, but it was a picture to see his face when I opened my file and showed the pictures of the performers I had booked. They included Texas, Gabrielle, Marcella Detroit, Amy Lame, Rebecca Sandles, Huffty and more.”

Talk about girl power.

The Sues were recently filmed as part of an upcoming BBC documentary commemorating fifty years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality, so keep your eyes out for it this June. They are also collecting memories in an online archive that may feature as an exhibition in the Tate Modern.